Iran FM: Canadians anti-Iran act will be detrimental to them

Tehran, June 14, IRNA - Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in reaction to an anti-Iran plan approved by the Canadian House of Common said 'These policies will be detrimental to Canada.'

Speaking to reporters upon his return from South Africa, Zarif said 'Unfortunately, in Canada there have been, and still are, wrong impressions and illusions towards the Islamic Republic of Iran.'

Although the Canadian government has changed and a new government has come to power political pressures from the extremist groups are going on.

The Iranian foreign minister said such policies will be detrimental to Canada and will never serve the international peace and security, urging Western countries to adopt independent policy in making decisions on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Such policies are adopted at a time that the allies of the Western countries have perpetrated some mistakes and crimes in the region while the Westerners have kept mum on those crimes and are unjustly accusing the Islamic Republic of the crimes which their allies have committed, Zarif said.

He reiterated that Iran has been on the forefront of the fight against terrorism and had it not been for Iranian efforts and support, different conditions would have prevailed in the region.

He expressed hope that the Western countries would be less impressed by such anti-Iran propaganda campaigns and adopt independent policies while making decision about the Islamic Republic.

On Tuesday, the Canadian House of Common by passing a bill put on hold all negotiations on resumption of diplomatic with Iran, blacklisted some Iranian military organs and raised some accusations against them.

On his two-day visit to South Africa, Zarif said his colleagues had meetings with their South African counterparts and held good talks on trade, transportation and banking cooperation.

Zarif said he and his accompanying delegation had a meeting with the foreign minister and four other key ministers of South Africa and held talks with a large number of senior experts from Important South African ministries.

Alluding to his 'good and constructive' meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, he said the South African president while underlining his country's political will to expand bilateral ties and cooperation with Iran said Pretoria was committed to the Joint comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

He said President Ramaphosa vowed to give necessary instructions to South African officials to explore ways of promoting Tehran-Pretoria cooperation and to this end a delegation of South African experts would travel to Tehran in coming weeks.

Zarif heading a politico-economic delegation arrived in Pretoria, South Africa on Tuesday to discuss Iran's nuclear deal and bilateral ties.

He held meetings with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his counterpart Lindiwe Sisulu.

South Africa is the second largest economy in the African continent and following implementation of JCPOA took big steps towards development of relations with Tehran.

Following visit of South African president to Tehran in year 2016, the two countries took measures for development of cooperation in the fields of transport, shipping, tourism and banking ties. 1396**1396Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish